


cold as stone

by huff_le_puff



Series: No Second Chances Allowed [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Basilisks, Birds, Forehead Kisses, Gen, Luna Lovegood Knows Things, Lydia understands/speaks to Birds, Madam Pomfrey POV, Medical Conditions, Name-Calling, Non-Graphic Violence, Ottery St. Catchpole, Panic Attacks, Poverty, Seer Luna Lovegood, The Burrow (Harry Potter), Thestrals, a brief dialogue about not eating, but it's not graphic at all, but like honestly it’s not explicit, like the cliche shit, more like about, summer adventures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:29:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 14,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24170602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/huff_le_puff/pseuds/huff_le_puff
Summary: Lydia may be a year older, but she isn’t any less confused.Not only does she somehow have friends - six of them! - Lydia also makes even more in her second year at Hogwarts. Not to mention how   much she learned! It’s a really useful spell, bombarda. Not nearly as useful as solitaire, according to Madam Pomfrey (Lydia spends way too much time in the hospital wing).Hogwarts isn’t all fun though. She’s about to learn what it feels like to look death in the face and come out of it as stone. Well, close to stone anyway; Lydia's very thankful for those mandrakes! She doesn’t fancy being a statue her entire life. Lydia will realize her motto of staying under the radar is much harder to stick to when you’re a Muggleborn in a castle with a fifty year old murderous maniac that wants you dead. And adults say being a kid is easy!
Relationships: Fred Weasley & George Weasley & Original Female Character(s), Luna Lovegood & Original Female Character(s)
Series: No Second Chances Allowed [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1659640
Comments: 12
Kudos: 31





	1. Did We Adopt Another?

**Author's Note:**

> “Off to see the village, the wonderful Ottery St Catchpole!”  
> “Why are you singing?”  
> “It’s a reference to the Wizard of Oz! Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of it?”  
> “If this wizard was that famous we would have heard of him.”
> 
> \----------
> 
> The summer adventure every kid wants, plus some pranking because who would the twins be without that?

Lydia had gotten an invite from Fred and George to visit their house for lunch, and Mrs. Weasley had insisted she stay a few weeks so she could “Get to know the first year my twins wrote home about so much!”

So, Lydia had spent the entire day with the twins; They had first given her a tour of the Burrow, as they called it; Their little sister had showed her a group of chickens, one she had named Alfred; Finally, while she was reading in an armchair, the twins had set a prank on her which changed her hair to match theirs. Mrs. Weasley had scolded them thoroughly when she couldn’t change it back, even though Lydia had said she didn’t mind. The twins had promised it would fade within a few weeks, and that was fine with her.

Now, they were starting on dinner. Mr. Weasley wasn’t home from work yet, but once Mrs. Weasley had realized he would be over an hour late, she had told them to start eating. A few minutes of idle conversation (mostly Ron complaining about missing his friends and Ginny talking excitedly of her near birthday) and the Floo was making noises from the other room. 

A balding man came rushing in, his glasses sliding off his nose. They all waved to him, and he kissed each of their foreheads, including Lydia’s. He paused.

“Molly?”

“Yes, dear?”

“Don’t we have seven children?”

“Yes, five at the moment.”

“Only one daughter?”

Ginny laughed. “Yes, Dad!”

He frowned down at Lydia, then back to Mrs. Weasly. “Then why did I kiss two girls? An eighth child. Did we adopt another while I was at work?”

Molly gave a smile identical to the twins’ pranking grins. “Yes, yes we did.”

“How could you forget Lydia, Dad?” The twins gasped.

“Next you’ll say you’ve forgotten Percy!”

Percy snorted from his spot, while Ginny joined in the teasing with, “I can’t believe you forgot about Lydia, Dad! Don’t you remember? She’s Ron’s twin. Mum always says how shocked she was when she discovered a second set of twins.”

Mr. Weasley was looking seriously concerned, so Mrs. Weasley spoke, “Okay, that’s enough, kids. Don’t tease your father before he’s even sat down. Arthur, this is Lydia. She’s the twins’ friend from school.”

“Hello!” Lydia gave a shy wave.

Arthur sat down heavily. 

Ron, finally done shoveling food into his mouth, looked at her. “You're the girl that busted Malfoy’s nose, aren’t you?”

She blushed as they all looked at her. “It was an accident!”

“You slammed him into a wall. And broke his nose. Then when he fainted you kicked his ribs.”

“First of all, I kicked him to see if he was dead. Second, he called me scarface! Forgive me for losing my cool.”

The twins stared her down sternly. 

“You told us you didn’t like his nose.”

“And wanted it reshaped.”

Ron helpfully added, “It is awfully pointy.” He went unheard.

“You’re a bit...protective. I handled it!”

“He calls Harry scarface,” Ron muttered.

Lydia rolled her eyes. “Malfoy is such a pompous turd dragon.”

Ron’s ham slipped out of his mouth and onto the table with a plop. Standing slowly and making his chair screech against the floor, he told them, “I’m going to bed to think over that insult. Goodnight.”

The twins laughed raucously as he left, hoisting Lydia from her chair and onto their shoulders. Lydia grabbed a spoonful of carrots as they marched her around the kitchen.

That night, once they had all been sent to bed by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ginny and Lydia sat in the former’s bedroom. Lydia had been given a small cot to sleep on, and Ginny had offered up a pair of her pyjamas. 

“Tell me about Hogwarts,” The girl had insisted.

So, Lydia demanded to know what it was like living in the Burrow. 

“Only if you let me plait your hair.”

Lydia bit her lip, thinking on it. She almost never let anyone touch her hair, but Ginny was sweet. “Okay, only if I can do yours though.”

On the first day of August, Lydia and the twins are sitting around in the living room. She was reading a Muggle fiction book, while they were tinkering with a few Muggle toys. Percy walked by, tussling her hair. She freezes for a moment, trying to calm the sudden panic. 

_ It’s fine  _

George nudges her foot with his shoulder. She doesn’t notice.

_ You’re fine  _

“Oi, Lydia. You alright?”

_ Stop being stupid.  _

Fred’s hand reaches toward her face, and she grabs his wrist. “No.”

“No what?” He asks, she notices they’re both looking quite alarmed.

Taking a deep breath, she puts on a fake smile. “Please, don’t.”

“Don’t what?” George insists. “We’re not talented like you, we can’t decipher your thoughts.”

“I don’t want to talk about...that. What all just happened.”

Fred frowns. “At least tell us how to avoid it happening again, because what just happened? It was bloody terrifying.”

She nods. “Sorry. Just don’t touch my hair. I don’t...I don’t like it.”

The twins share a surprised look. Why not?”

“I just,” she pulls her legs to her chest, wrapping her arms around herself. “Just don’t, okay?”

They hug her between them, deciding to grill her later. But for now, Fred can feel her breath speeding up, and tells the passing Ginny to get a calming draught.

When she hands it to him, looking worried, he slips it down Lydia’s throat.

George holds her close until she falls asleep, then calls his mum. Mrs. Weasley puts her to sleep, thinking she had just stayed up last night. The twins worried it was something worse.

The next night Lydia had gone downstairs to get some water. She was expecting no one to be up, or if they were up for them to be half awake and thus easy to evade. She didn’t fancy anyone asking why she was up; She’d had a nightmare and woken with her heart beating against her ribs painfully. 

However three people were up, and noticeably awake. Ron, George, and Fred. She raised her eyebrows at them, glancing at the keys. “Going somewhere, boys?”

They all jumped. 

Ron shook his head. “Of course not-”

“Lying.”

The twins groaned. “You don’t lie to Lydia, she’s a lie sniffer.”

“We’re going to fetch Harry from his aunt and uncle’s.”

Lydia nodded. “Careful. I heard him say his uncle was a big bloke. I’ll try to distract Mrs. Weasley during breakfast so she doesn’t notice you.”

George reaches over and places a sloppy kiss on her forehead. “Oh, you’re a lifesaver!”

She snorted. “Just go, peabrains.”

That morning, Lydia did exactly as she promised. When Mrs. Weasley came downstairs, Lydia was already there. 

“Mrs. Weasley, could you show me how you cook? The twins told me how much of a legend your pancakes are, and I’ve never actually been taught how to cook. Perhaps I could shadow you today?”

“Oh dear, of course I’ll teach you! Do you know how to crack an egg?”

Lydia hadn’t been able to distract Mrs. Wesley enough that she didn’t notice the boys had left, unfortunately. She did, however, act like she hadn’t known. She had self-preservation, thank you very much. 

That night, Percy caught her before she could head to dinner. 

“Lydia, I have to ask, are you feeling alright?”

She nods. “Yeah! I feel so good, especially with all the sun I’m getting running around the fields.”

“If you’re sure. I just noticed you’re eating much more than you do at Hogwarts, but you’re still awfully skinny… I thought Madam Pomfrey said you were at a healthy weight.”

She sighs, and takes hold of his forearms. “You can’t tell anybody what I’m about to say, okay?”

He nods hesitantly. 

“There hasn’t been much food at home. I’ve been trying not to eat too much here, but it’s so hard when there’s so much, and I’ve barely been able to eat before coming here. I’m really sorry.”

He shakes his head and looks down at her sternly. “No. You’re not allowed to apologize for being hungry. Next time things aren’t going so good at home, you write to me, alright? I could have helped.”

“But my mom and grandfather try  _ really hard _ . They do, really, Percy! It’s not their fault.”

“I know that. You think it’s never been hard to meet ends here? I understand Lydia, and I want to help. Eat as much as you need, got it?”

She nods. “I’m sorry for worrying you.”

“None of that. Be careful how much you eat though, we don’t want your stomach having an adverse reaction to the sudden influx of nutrition.”

She nods, and they go to dinner. 

Living with Harry Potter isn’t very different from living with the Weasleys. The only real difference is the obvious confusion he’s feeling whenever someone is nice - or even decent - to him. And the fact that he eats nearly as much as Ron. She has a feeling his food supply was worse than hers had been. 

The biggest difference was that Ron and Harry were always in the former’s room, laughing up a storm. Whereas Ron had been moping around the house before, now he always had a bright smile on his face. It was a good difference. 

Finally, after a week since the twins and Ron had rescued Harry, Mrs. Weasley was letting up on the excess chores. 

Knowing she was mostly over the situation, the twins had apparently decided to do something fun with Lydia before she left again. 

Lydia was woken up bright and early on Tuesday morning, just as the sun rose. The twins were jumping on her cot, and talking rapidly. 

A pillow came soaring from Ginny's bed. “Shut it, you wankers!” She turned back round and fell back asleep. 

The twins pulled Lydia out of the room by her hands, and led her to the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley was awake, making breakfast. 

“Oh, hello dears! I’ll have breakfast done in a bit.”

The twins set the half asleep Lydia on the table. She fell backwards and stared up at the ceiling as she tried to wake. 

“Mum, can we take Lydia into the village?”

“I don’t know…”

Lydia knew Mrs. Weasley had good reason to be wary of letting them go into the Muggle village unsupervised. She was only twelve, and the twins were, well, they were themselves. 

Somehow, Mrs. Weasley was convinced, by promises that they would come back in time for lunch. So, they had all rushed up to Fred and George’s room to find suitable Muggle clothing.

It was easy for Lydia, who came from a Muggle house. She had only needed to change from her pyjamas and into her jean shorts and a baggy shirt to make it seem like her back didn’t have a hump. Seeing that Ginny was still sleeping, she had quietly replaited her hair in two like every other morning and tied her favorite blue zip-up around her waist.

The twins had a more difficult time finding clothes, and Lydia couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry at their attempt; She decided on both. Fred, as always the more dramatic of the two, had gone all out. He was wearing lime green sunglasses, a pair of bellbottomed jeans, a frilly blouse, and some sort of cowboy belt. The sparkly dangling earrings he had on were stained with blood.

“Fred, since when are your ears pierced?” Lydia asked, not wanting to know but needing to.

“Since ten minutes ago. Like ‘em?”

“Tell me you didn’t just shove them in!”

“...Is that not the right way?”

Lydia nearly fainted then and there, before forcing Fred to let her disinfect and clean up his ears.

Then, with a bit of fear, she looked to George. After a quick once over she noticed his ears were free from blood or earrings. He was wearing bellbottomed jeans - not a bad choice - a red button-up shirt, a pair of women’s sandals, and a large fur coat that had to be from an alpaca or something.

Lydia nodded to herself and they started down the two flights of stairs to exit out the kitchen. As they were walking out the door, Mr. Weasley ran up to them excitedly.

“Lydia, boys! Wait just a minute.”

They looked at him.

“I want you to take this, alright? It’s called a camera, and you take still pictures with it.”

Lydia nodded, knowing all this, while the twins looked amazed.

“The photos don’t move?”

“What do they do all day then?”

Lydia laughed and gently took the camera from Mr. Weasley. “I’ll show them how it works and take lots of photos. Thank you, Mr. Weasley.”

“Make some memories, and I want all the stories from your adventure during dinner tonight.” He winked at them and left to Floo to the Ministry.

Lydia looked down at the camera, but when she looked up the twins were gone. She frowned, but shrugged when she noticed the screen door was still swinging shut. “Huh, they must’ve forgotten something,” she murmured to herself, “Might as well figure out this camera’s settings while I wait.”

Ten minutes later the twins were at her side again, both sporting black lipstick on their lips and smudged across their hands.

She rolled her eyes. “Come on, peabrains. Where are we off to?”

“The village!” They chorused.

She smiled and slung the camera around her neck so she could grasp both her hands. She chanted, “Off to see the village, the wonderful village of…”

“Wait, what village is it?”

“Ottery St Catchpole.”

“Off to see the village, the wonderful Ottery St Catchpole!”

“Why are you singing?”

She gave them both an incredulous look. “It’s a reference to the WIzard of Oz! Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of it?”

“If this wizard was that famous we would have heard of him.”

She let out a gasp. “It’s a movie, you uncultured swine!”

They shrugged.

The first place they went in the village was a thrift shop so the twins could find better clothes, and because they insisted Lydia get a few clothes that weren’t too short on her. They had spent nearly an hour in the small shop, going from section to section and having little fashion shows as they tried things on. Finally, they took the little money they had - roughly ten quid - and handed their three outfits to the cashier.

“Fourteen quid, please.”

All three frowned, and George told her, “We’ve only got ten, but we can put this all back for you Ma’am.”

The cashier looked sad for a moment, tapping at her register. “Wait, my mistake! I forgot we have a sale going on. It’ll be fifty pence.”

Lydia looked at her suspiciously. “Fifty pence. For three outfits.”

“Yes.”

“What sale’s going on to save us that much?”

The cashier leaned closer. “It’s called the hurry-and take-your-things-before-my-boss-sees sale.”

Lydia chuckled. “You should really put up signs, to let people know when a sale is going on.”

Next they had gone to a diner, where a nice woman named Miss Scollins had offered them a milkshake to share if they wiped down the booths for her. After their milkshake, the three had gone to change into the clothing they had bought at the thrift shop. They debated for a while on where to go next, as Mrs. Werasley would be expecting them in an hour and a half. Lydia had suggested going somewhere shady, so the twins had demanded they show her their favorite lake on the outskirts of the village.

To get there they had to climb a few steep hills, but once they’d reached the top of the third, Lydia could see the crystal clear lake, surrounded by trees and with a wooden swing hanging from the tallest.

They ran down the hill, and just when Lydia thought they might catch flight from the speed they were going, they stopped at the edge of the lake. They all peeled off their overclothes and jumped in.

“I don’t know how to swim,” Lydia confessed.

The twins grabbed her arms.

“We’ll teach you!” George promised, while Fred swam just a bit away. 

“Try to swim this way. Just do what you think you should and we’ll correct you.”

“Fine, but if I drown I’m coming back to haunt you.” She submerged herself, letting only her eyes above the water. Then, she paddled like she’d seen actors do on television. It didn’t quite work, but Lydia was a fast learner, and after a few corrections was able to swim quite the distance.

They swam for half an hour, then they got cold and decided to lay down on the grass, soaking in the hot sun. When Lydia felt one of her plaits pulling on her scalp painfully, she slid the hairbands off and wrapped them around one of her wrists, shaking out her now dried plaits. She hadn’t thought much of it, honestly. She knew the twins wouldn’t use her hair to hurt her, as Henry always had. She didn’t need to take precautions with them.

“Woah, Fred, lookit!”

Lydia looked up from where she had been dozing when she realized the sun had disappeared. Both twins were peering down at her hair. 

Fred held up a few locks of hair and gasped, “It’s all wavy!”

She laughed. “My hair gets crimped if it’s in plaits too long.”

“ _ Woah! _ ” They both whispered, making her giggle again.

She sat up, and gently put a tiny plait in each of their heads, using their fringe. “There. Now your hair can crimp too.”

They grinned, then dragged her back to the water.

“Come on, it’ll happen faster if it gets wet, right? Ginny always gets her hair wet when she wants to curl it. She uses quills and then it comes out all circle-y.”

“Circle-y? So eloquent, dear brother.”

Lydia rolled her eyes at both of them, shoving them backwards into the warm water. She yelped as they pulled her forward by her shirt, sending her tumbling on top of them.

When they returned fifteen minutes before lunch, Molly shook her head at the sight of the soaked and shivering trio. 

“Oh you three are going to give me grey hair! In you go, just what were you doing? Oh, nevermind that. Up, up into your room, you go! Get under the covers, warm up! Lunch will be ready in ten minutes, you’d best be dry by then! Oh, Lydia you poor dear, you’re shivering. Fred, get her a towel for her hair, won’t you?”

Mrs. Weasley walked off muttering to herself.

Away in the twins’ room, Lydia confessed she had never been quite so happy.


	2. Aching Ribs and Thundering Stones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m George’s sub.”  
> “His...sub?”  
> “Yeah! You know how teachers have substitutes for when they can’t be in class? I’m George’s student sub. He had an errand to run.”  
> “An errand.”  
> “Yes, sir.”  
> “He is fourteen.”  
> “He’s a very busy fourteen year old!”

Summer after the Diagon Alley trip with the Weasleys (and Harry) was quite boring. All she had to do was play with Stoner and progress in her Muggle studies, so she did quite a lot of lazing about. The beginning of the school year was boring too; Ginny was much quieter now than she had been all summer, and was dodging all attempts Lydia made to talk, the twins had only played one minor prank so far, and Lydia’s lessons had been mostly revision. 

Professor Lockhart’s first lesson had landed her in the hospital wing within the first three days of term. There were many other ways she would have preferred to spend her lunch period - like, perhaps, eating lunch! - but she had been bitten on the nose by the pixies Professor Lockhart had set free, and Neville had gone with her to the infirmary when he saw how pale she had gotten from the blood loss. Really, she hated being so pale; The slightest difference had people thinking she would keel over any second. 

She figured it would be a simple in and out trip, but when she realized the short walk had made her heart rate skyrocket and her ribs feel like they were puncturing her lungs, well she knew she should inform the mediwitch. But explaining that to Madam Pomfrey had led to her ribs being inspected, and she had been faced with the decision of whether or not to explain the whole curved back situation, something she had been putting off as long as possible.

“It’s asthma! Um, yeah, asthma is why I can’t breathe.”

Okay, wrong decision.

“Mhm. And the ribs?”

“Uh. My ribs are like that because…”

Madam Pomfrey shook her head in exasperation. “Today, Miss McBrien.”

“Okay so I have pretty bad scoliosis which made one of my ribs twisted so now it’s on top of my spine, pressing on top of my lungs and that’s why I can’t breathe.”

Madam Pomfrey looked rightfully alarmed. “Curvature of the spine.”

“Yes Ma’am.”

“Why aren’t you wearing a brace?”

“Doctor wouldn’t give me one. At my first visit he said I was lying about the scoliosis - I wasn’t - and my last one he said it was too severe for a brace.”

Madam Pomfrey slid a hand over her face. “What are your treatment options?”

“I’ve got none. He recommends immediate surgery but we can’t afford it. So we’re just hoping I don’t die before my mom and grandpa can scrounge up the money.”

Madam Pomfrey blinked several times before saying, “Just when were you planning to mention that, young lady? The school will need to make adjustments for you.”

“Sorry, it seemed like a future Lydia problem.”

Madam Pomfrey laughed, sitting on Lydia’s bed. “That is ridiculous. Until we can figure out something, I’m going to give you some oxygen through a Muggle device called a nasal cannula. Are you familiar?”

“No.”

Madam Pomfrey grabbed what looked like a clear headband with two notches in the middle from thin air. “You’re about to get very familiar, so sit still.”

Lydia didn’t have time to blink as suddenly the notches were in her nostrils.

Madam Pomfrey didn’t notice her discomfort, as she had turned and continued speaking, “Don’t touch it. I’m keeping you through lunch, but I’ll have an elf get you something. Those cuts on your nose should be healed by now, but they’ll be itchy as they’re stitching themselves up. I repeat, do not touch your face.”

Lydia huffed, grateful she had stuck one of her vocabulary workbooks in her bag that morning, and set to work.

  
  


The twins had given her five galleons to go to a charms lesson in George’s place, and she had agreed easily. She would get an extra charms lesson, and George would be setting up a prank. Win win situation. 

She hadn’t even changed anything about her appearance to be more believable, just went in with Fred and sat next to him. Even without trying to blend in, Professor Flitwick took twenty minutes to notice she wasn’t George.

“Miss McBrien, why are you here? If I’m not mistaken I don’t teach your year until Thursday.”

She smiled and said, “I’m George’s sub.”

“His...sub?”

“Yeah! You know how teachers have substitutes for when they can’t be in class? I’m George’s student sub. He had an errand to run.”

“An errand.”

“Yes, sir.”

“He is fourteen.”

Fred cut in, “He’s a very busy fourteen year old!”

Professor Flitwick shakes his head, then looks back at Lydia. “How are you finding the classwork?”

“If this is what fourth year charms work is like, I can’t wait til I’m in fourth year.”

He laughs. “Detention tomorrow night here before dinner. That goes for George as well.”

Lydia nods happily and goes back to trying the banishing charm, Lee and Fred laughing next to her.

Ginny had been acting differently. The twins were starting to notice, but her other brothers remained clueless. Lydia had to give herself a little credit, she knew the twins had only noticed because she had been less than subtle with her ~~stalking~~ observing the more worried she got.

Ginny was distracted, but not in a normal way. No, Ginny looked like she wasn’t even in her own head most of the time. She was like a ghost. Lydia wanted to liken it to possession, but that wasn’t a thing magic would do, right? So far magic had been safe, it would stay that way, she was sure of it.

Lydia had been trying to catch Ginny and check on her for weeks now, and had failed every time. Not today though. As Ginny made for the common room’s exit, Lydia grabbed the back of her uniform shirt. “Ginny!”

Ginny turned, her eyes looking tinted red. Lydia blinked again and it was gone. “Lydia...hi.”

“Hey! I was hoping we could hang out.”

“I have some things to do.”

“But I wanted you to teach me gobstones. You promised.”

Ginny nodded. “Yeah, okay. Have you got a board? I think the twins took ours.”

“I haven’t got one but Seamus does. See that bookcase? All of the board games are there. Seamus puts his gobstones behind the monopoly so Dean doesn’t take it. He likes to hit the stones together like marbles, but he refuses to touch the monopoly board.”

“Since when do we have a game stash? And why does Dean not like monopoly? What _is_ monopoly?”

Lydia laughed. “We got the games this year. Hermione brought a bunch from home, and the other Muggleborns sent for some. We’ve amassed quite a selection, so Professor McGonagall got us a bookcase for them. Second, Dean swears it’s evil. His sisters always team up against him, and he bets real money so he always gets screwed over. Third, it’s a game about buying and selling businesses. I’ll teach you someday.”

Ginny nodded, and launched into an explanation of gobstones, which soon got interrupted by the twins joining their game. No one noticed Ginny leaving the common room.

Once. Just once in her Hogwarts career Lydia wants Halloween to be uneventful. Is that really so much to ask? Apparently, it is.

She had had a great time at the feast, laughing and eating with the Quidditch team and Neville. It’s when they leave the Great Hall that things stop being fun. The wall was stained with blood. It’s gross, yes, and alarming, but it’s not the blood that’s so terrifying; It’s what the blood spells. It told enemies of the heir, whoever that was, to beware because a chamber of secrets had been opened. She had no clue what the chamber of secrets was, and neither did anyone else it seemed, but it was scary. 

She felt a soft hand grab hers. Katie squeezed it, pulling her close and walking them both back to Gryffindor Tower. 

In the coming days, weeks, years even, Katie became a sort of sister to Lydia. Katie Bell was the sort of person that was protective whether you needed it or not; A natural sister to all her friends. If anything were to happen to her, Lydia would certainly be distraught. It was a good thing Hogwarts was safe. Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello loves! I hope you enjoyed, even though this was a little bit all over the place (and late. oops!). I’m working on getting it to be smoother, in terms of transitioning scene to scene.
> 
> Next week: Lydia meets quite the peculiar girl. Who do you think it is?
> 
> Word count: 1375


	3. The Strange Girl and Skeleton Horses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You need to visit Madam Pomfrey.”  
>  “No I don’t.”  
> Lydia’s legs promptly gave out.  
>  “Shall we go now?”  
> \- - - - - - - - - -
> 
> Luna Lovegood knows things she probably shouldn’t. But Lydia doesn’t mind, it’s kind of cool. The horses Luna likes so much are kind of scary, though.

After two and nearly a half weeks of charms lessons, Professor Flitwick asks her to stay after. This didn’t scare her much, as he had spoken with her after lessons before. It was very funny to Ron, however.

“The twins’ll be so proud!” he crowed, grinning, “Your very first detention!” 

She scowled at him as she packed her bag slowly. She didn’t have much to pack, so she looked through it more than was necessary to keep herself from feeling awkward as the other students left. FInally, once the room was empty save for herself and the professor, she went to his desk. “You wanted to talk, Sir? I’m pretty sure I haven’t broken any rules yet.”

He beamed at her like he always did, and nodded. “Don’t worry yourself, my dear. I’ve only noticed a student you may get along with. Why don’t you sit?”

She did, letting her bag rest between her ankles. Grateful for the small cushion on the chair she sat in, she listened.

“Like your own first year, I’ve met a student who has had trouble finding friends within her year mates. I was wondering if you would be willing to speak with her, perhaps try to be friends.”

“Sure thing, Professor. Is she in your house?”

He was near giddy in her easy acceptance. “Yes! Her name is Luna Lovegood, and she can usually be found in the forest petting Thestrals or in one of the various nooks of the castle.”

“I’m happy to see if Luna and I have anything in common, sir. Unless you have anything else to talk about, I’ll go now.”

“Actually, Miss McBrien, I was curious how you found the summer essays I assigned. If I’m not mistaken, it seems you cut yourself off before you were quite finished.”

She blushed. “Yeah… You told us not to do more than a few pages of parchment, and I tried to cut my first draft down a bit, but I guess I felt so passionately about the work I couldn’t help myself. When I saw I was nearing the end of what we could write I tried to wrap it up. I guess I didn't do very well, did I?”

He smiled gently. “Your passion for charms brightens my day, my dear. How about this? If you find yourself passionate about the coursework, write as much as your heart desires, then hand that in as well as the narrowed down version. I do hope it wouldn’t be too much work?”

She nodded happily. “Yes, sir, I’ll do that! It won’t be any trouble at all, I always have to restart at some point since my cat’s always putting his paws on the ink while it dries. Oh, how was your summer?”

He closed his eyes in a moment with a happy sigh. “Time spent with family is always a delight. We took a trip to see the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus in Turkey, it was brilliant.” He shook his head. “Ah, forgive me! I seem to have kept you into lunch. Do let me know how things with Miss Lovegood go, my dear!”

Lydia waved as she left, “Yes, sir! Have a lovely day.”

“Oh, Miss McBrien?”

She turned back from the door, looking at him expectantly. 

“Do get lunch before you make the trek to Miss Lovegood, won’t you? Madam Pomfrey is ever so worried about your health.”

Lydia laughed. “Has she told all the professors I’m frail, then? I’ll eat, professor.”

At lunch, sitting between the twins as usual, she looked for a head of blonde hair at the blue table. Terry catches her eye and waves, nudging Heidi, who smiles at her. Waving back, she brought her eyes to the end of the table, where a small girl was sitting alone, her blonde hair long and messy looking. As she observed the girl, she looked up and stared at her with serene gray eyes. Lydia blushed at being caught, and waved shyly. The girl waved, looking almost surprised.

“What’re you looking at Loony for?” Ron asked, breaking the eye contract.

“Loony?” Lydia asked, stirring her pasta.

“Yeah, she’s bloody mad.”

Alicia hissed at him not to be rude, and Lydia looked back to Luna, who was staring at her sadly. “She doesn’t look mad to me.”

“Yeah, but those are the real dangerous ones. Gives them an advantage, see.”

Without looking away from Luna, Lydia snapped her fingers, and Fred shoved Ron’s face into his mashed potatoes. “Oi!”

Lydia waved to Luna, who was giggling quietly and getting looks from her housemates. Lydia shared her grin, looking back to Alicia. “Don’t wait up for me after dinner, I’m gonna go for a walk.”

“We could come so you don’t get lost,” Katie offered. Lydia shook her head. “I know where I’m going, but thanks. Besides, I’m sure you have Quidditch practice.”

“Ah hell, we do!” George swore, hurrying to eat.

Eating didn’t take long, and she left just after Oliver started nagging his team to meet for practice. Luna had left at some point, and Lydia doubted she would be able to catch her before she was either in the forest or some nook, so she stopped by her dorm to drop off her heavy bag, then started down to the courtyard, checking in shadowy alcoves and the like on her way.

Down near the forest Hagrid stood, looking to be talking with a nest of birds. 

“Hagrid!” She called, keeping her voice down so as not to startle the birds. 

He looked down, took his hand from its placating position by the bird’s nest, and picked her up. Twirling her, he boomed, “Lydia, yeh’ve grown on me, young’in!

“The ground, please?” She giggled, patting his shoulder from her place in midair. 

He gave a loud laugh, startling the birds, and set her back on the grass. “What brings yeh down so late?”

“I wanted to see the Thestrals. Professor Flitwick said they were in the forest.”

“A profess’r gave yeh permission then?”

“Yes, Hagrid. I wouldn’t lie to you.”

Hagrid nodded. “Alrigh’ go on in then. Careful, now.”

“Of course, Hagrid. I’ll come see you on Sunday!” She waved at him, fingering the daisy charm on her necklace. She wondered if maybe she should have asked about the birds, but they were in safe hands, and she wouldn't show her ability to just anyone. No, she had learned that; Never turn your hand.

The forest was hard to walk in, and her legs ached. But she knew the Thestrals wouldn’t be too far in, and she could hear a quiet laugh. After what felt like forever, she came upon the same blonde haired girl from lunch.

She crept over quietly.

“Hello, Lydia.”

“You know my name?”

Luna looked at her fully. “You know mine.”

“Touche.”

They sat for several minutes together, Luna showing her how the Thesrals liked to be pet. Then Luna stiffened slightly, and her eyes glazed like she was about to cry.

“Do not look with a naked eye, for you will die.”

She had whispered it so quietly, Lydia didn’t quite hear. “Alright, Luna?”

“Yes. We should go inside, you need to visit Madam Pomfrey.”

“What? No I don’t.”

Luna raised an eyebrow, and just a minute later one of Lydia’s legs gave out. “Shall we go now?”

Lydia nodded, and felt Luna take her hand, then start sprinting. Lydia was forced to sprint too, and despite the ache in her back and ribs, she felt like she was on air.

Madam Pomfrey tried her best to stay professionally distant from her patients. It made it easier to act in their best interest, and she knew it was part of the job. However, it was becoming increasingly difficult with Miss McBrien. The poor second year must be setting a record for most visits in one month, and she wasn’t faking her ailments. Madam Pomfrey was very worried.

That was why, as Miss McBrien sat writhing in pain on one of the beds, Madam Pomfrey couldn’t find it in herself to ignore the girl’s need for comfort. She gently sat Miss McBrien up, slid behind her, and let the girl rest against her chest. She held her, and Madam Pomfrey did her best to soothe until the girl was calm enough to take a pain potion.

“It - it hurts! Make it stop!”

“I know, dear. I’ll make it stop soon. I need you to take deep breaths, with me now.” She went through the typical motions, watching her patient try to copy.

After three shaky tries, Miss McBrien cried out, “I can’t do it. It hurts too much. My back-”

“I understand. Just try a few more times, after me again.”

It took nearly ten minutes for Miss McBrien to finally get the sequence, and by the time she was calm, she had been in the hospital wing for half an hour.

When Madam Pomfrey was sure the girl was calm, she used her wand to levitate the needed potion, and tipped it down Miss McBrien’s throat. 

After a moment, “Better?”

“Yes, thank you.” A pause, “I’m sorry I was such a wreck.”

Madam Pomfrey clicked her tongue in annoyance. “No, don’t apologize for needing my help. Now, you’re going to rest for an hour.”   
“But I didn’t bring anything to do!”

Madam Pomfrey glanced at the clock, seeing it would be curfew soon and thus she wouldn’t have too many students coming in. “Have you ever played solitaire?”

“I think my grandfather taught me, but I don’t remember how.”

Madam Pomfrey smiled, and started shuffling the deck. “I will show you how. Now, tell me what the gossip is, won’t you? I’ve heard very little this week.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi lovelies! I have no excuses for not posting other than life getting in the way. But I will work hard to get back to schedule! This is my last pre-written chapter, so I actually have to make time for this now... We’ll see how it goes.
> 
> Next week: It’s Lydia’s birthday, baby! Who can guess what Lydia gets from her Weasleys?
> 
> Word count: 1732


	4. Of Birthdays and Hospital Beds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Did...your dad give me a rubber duck?”  
> “Are those pearls?”  
> “Oh my god, no one tell me how expensive these were!”  
> Ron slowly reached over and peeled the price tag off. 
> 
> \- - - - - - - - - -
> 
> Lydia’s Christmas is amazing! The days after, not so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There’s a POV switch about midway, but I hope it’s not too confusing. I just wanted to get another POV so it’s not always Lydia. I might do more in the future, depending if I like the flow of this. Let me know if you’d rather I didn’t and I’ll take that into consideration.

By the time October comes round Lydia’s visited the hospital wing six times, and she is not happy Angelina’s making her go for the seventh. Okay, yes she couldn’t move off her bed, but Hermione had no business going around telling people that! 

As Angelina opened the hospital wing’s door and called for Madam Pomfrey, Lydia sighed. 

Madam Pomfrey tutted from where she was healing a Ravenclaw’s ankle. “What’s wrong this time, dear?”

“One of her dormmates found her in a ball on her bed and told me she was too pained to move,” Angelina said, intent on speaking for Lydia. 

“So they moved me!” Lydia pouted, crossing her arms.

“What’s the number this morning?”

“Only a six! Totally tolerable.”

Angelina clarified, as if Madam Pomfrey didn’t already know, “A six means she’s nauseous and has constant leg and stomach cramps.”

Madam Pomfrey pointed to one of the more secluded beds in a corner. “There, please. You may go to class, Miss Johnson.”

“Yes, Ma’am. Rest, Lydia.”

I know, I know. Tell Hermione to keep her trap shut next time.”

“Nah, I don’t think so.”

Lydia tried not to wince too visibly as she watched Madam Pomfrey heal the various students already injured for the day. The first lessons hadn’t even started so she had no clue why the infirmary was so packed, but Lydia supposed she had no room to talk. Or breathe, apparently, her lungs were so obstructed.

Once Madam Pomfrey had sent the last of the students away with a clean bill of health, she walked over to Lydia and felt her forehead. “I’m beginning to wonder if you’re looking for an apprenticeship, this is your sixth visit so far this year.”

“If I didn’t have such overbearing friends-”

“You could seriously injure yourself, yes. Apt thinking, Miss McBrien. Now, I think we’re past the point of hiding your pain from me, so let it out.”

Lydia let out a sigh, tried to let her body go slack, then let out a pained noise and curled back up. Without prompting, she answered Madam Pomfrey’s question. “Ribs.”

Madam Pomfrey pulled the curtains around Lydia’s bed closed, then gestured for Lydia to pull her uniform shirt out of the way. Lydia did so, then pointed to where she could feel the pain.

“They’re more uneven than the last we checked. When was that, two weeks ago?”

“September third, so five weeks, just about.”

“It’s getting more aggressive, then.”

“I know. It’s getting really hard to do things.”

Madam Pomfrey put a hand to her forehead in stress, then stood to find her potions. Returning, she handed one to Lydia. “Take this for the pain. I know from our previous scans your lungs are receiving pressure from your spine, so you’re going to get oxygen through the nasal cannula. You remember how it works, yes?”

“Mhm. I can’t touch my face until you say so.”

“Ah, you bright girl.”

Lydia downed the potion and leaned her head back so Madam Pomfrey had easy access to put the plugs up her nostrils. When it was done she had to fight not to twitch her nose. “When can I go to class?”

“You’ll be in time for lunch.”

“What?! But I’ll miss half of them! Oh god, Professor Snape’s gonna kill me.”

Madam Pomfrey tutted. “Calm yourself! Professor Snape will do no such thing because I’m authorizing it. You’re not being a naughty lesson skipper, you’re ill. In fact, I’ll floo Professor McGonagall right now, before her lessons start.”

“Fine. But what do I do for four hours?”

Madam Pomfrey smiled and took their usual deck of cards from her skirt’s pocket. “Shuffle these while I use the floo.”

* * *

The rest of October passed very quickly, which was a relief to Lydia. After finding out she hadn’t told them her birthday last year, the twins had given Lydia the cold shoulder all month. In reality, they had forgiven her after a few hours but had been determined to make up for the previous year by doing something dramatic. George hoped the Marauders would be proud, wherever they were. 

It had been Fred’s idea to coerce Rosy, an elf that adored Lydia, into helping them bake a cake. What he hadn’t taken into account however, is that house elves could get a little excited. Add that to himself and George, well let’s just say things easily got out of hand. Out of hand meaning they had baked and frosted a cake of Lydia’s own face, which had three tiers, reaching her waist.

But they didn’t stop there. After helping her eat it (and passing out some to all their friends and favorite professors) they marched her from lesson to lesson chanting the happy birthday song. Percy had nearly taken points after a few hours, but couldn’t make himself.

Then, came presents.

“The cake wasn't my gift?” Lydia asked, perched on Lee’s empty bed.

“Of course not! A cake is customary.”

She stared at them. “A small cake maybe, but that cake was like, massive!”

Percy handed her a large cardboard box with messy ribbon across the top. “Just open your gift box, Lydia. It’s from all us Weasleys.”

She frowned, but peeled the sparkly red and gold ribbons off. The lid burst open, red and gold balloons floating to the ceiling. Ron snatched five, and tied Scabbers to the ends. The rat immediately fell to the floor, along with the balloons. 

Peering inside, she spotted a periwinkle shawl at the very bottom, and as she picked it up she felt the stitches warm slightly. Wrapped in foil, were a few brownies with pink frosting. Ron snatched one, and gave her a grin.

“Lydia, Mum never makes these! The frosting is really just crushed peppermint. Can I have one?”

She laughs, and nods. “Go ahead. Just leave one for me, yeah?”

She doesn’t pay any attention to Percy telling Ron off about his manners, because she spots a rubber duck. “Did...your dad give me a rubber duck?”

“Yeah,” Fred laughs, taking it from her and squinting at it. “Dad’s probably hoping you’ll figure out what it does. He’s a little obsessed.”

“But if you do figure it out, don’t tell him. I think he likes not knowing. It’s like a crossword puzzle for him, but not boring.”

George grabbed a top hat from the box. “Here, this is from Fred and I.”

“From Zonko’s? Thanks, you guys. We should use these on Hermione.”

The twins leaned in so Ron wouldn’t hear and get upset. “What’s she done?”

“She’s so nosy about why I’m always in the hospital wing! Professor McGonagall told me she’d gotten an anonymous tip that I wasn’t ill and just skipping. Why would I skip charms? I love that class!”  
The twins shared a look, then nodded. “Okay. But shouldn’t you actually talk to Hermione if you’re this bothered? Why not just tell her what’s going on?”

Lydia glared at George, while Fred face palmed at the insensitivity. “George, it is my choice to divulge my problems. It’s none of Hermione’s fucking business. She’s just being nosy.”

“Okay, sorry!” He raised his hands in defense.

She sighed, and muttered an apology. Then, she took the wrapped parcel she had received that morning from her pocket. The twins leaned in closer to see what it was. 

She gasped, drawing Percy and Ron’s attention. The gift dropped from the tissue paper into her lap. 

Fred leaned closer. “Are those pearls?!”

She nodded, feeling a little faint. “Oh my god, no one tell me how expensive these were.”

Ron slowly reached over and peeled the price tag off the silver chain.

Percy, trying to recover the silent group, said, “So Lydia, why don’t you try it on?”

“Oh god no. What if it breaks?”

He waved her off. “It’ll be fine! Here, let me.” Without letting her object, he unclasped the chain, put it around her neck, then reclasped it. The three little pearls sat comfortably between her collarbones, and the chain was chilly against her neck.

“So, what did your dad send?”

Lydia sighed in Ron’s direction and fished a small piece of folded paper from her skirt pocket. She handed it to him.

When he did open it, they saw it was a receipt with two words written in thick marker: Happy Birthday.

“Is...is that it?”

Lydia nods.

Ron frowns. “But Dad always gets us-mph!” 

Percy had placed a hand over Ron’s mouth and was dragging him from the twins’ dorm room.

* * *

Harry Potter didn’t know much about Lydia McBrien. He knew she hadn’t been born in Britain, and she was quiet. She apparently had a talent for drawing if the little flipbook doodle she had given him was any indication. Despite having lived with her at the Burrow over the summer, they had never interacted except for the shared glances when the Weasleys got loud or did something neither of them were used to. She was really good at making him laugh, even when all the bones in his arm were gone, and she liked to see how red his face got when she insulted Professor Lockhart and he was trying not to laugh. They were in different circles, that was all. 

All of that is to say, Harry didn’t expect Lydia to be such an ugly sleeper. He wasn’t trying to be rude, honestly! But Lydia was lying on her stomach in the hospital bed, her mouth half open and dripping drool, her nose scrunched like a pig, and one of her arms hanging in the air. The blanket was still somehow tucked tightly around her, and that had to be more Madam Pomfrey’s doing than Lydia actually sleeping calmly. In the few minutes Harry had been awake she had kicked a lot.

Harry had just seen a group of professors bring in a petrified Colin Creevey, and quite frankly, he needed to talk to someone about it. He was internally freaking out if we’re being honest.

Lydia,” he whispered, jostling her shoulder, “Lydia!”

After a few more shakes, she blinked open her eyes and closed her mouth with a sickening pop. “Mm? What’s going on?”

“Lydia, look at that bed they’ve hidden.”

Rubbing at her face, she gave him a sleepy glare. “You woke me to say some kid is sleeping in here? He probably threw up or something and Madam’s keeping him for observation.”

“It’s Colin!”

“And…?”

“He’s petrified!”

She sighed and sat up, scooting over so Harry could sit. “He’s what?”

“I heard them bring Colin in, Lydia. They said the chamber of secrets was opened and Colin’s been petrified by the monster!”

She frowned. “Shit.”

Harry nods, then bites his lip. “What do we do?”

“What do you mean? You’re twelve, Harry. You don’t need to do anything. Just keep yourself and your friends safe. Stay in groups, that kinda thing. Even if the adults don’t figure this out soon, there’s no use in you getting petrified too. Colin wouldn’t want that.”

“We can’t just sit and do nothing.”

“I didn’t say that. I know you and Ron and Hermione have been doing something. And that something might help, right? So just keep doing that.”

“But there’s gotta be more.”

“Hermione’s good at research, so I’m sure once you tell her what you know she’ll figure it out.”

“What about you? You’re just gonna what, go to lessons as if everything’s normal?”

“Harry. Making a ruckus only gets the adults’ attention, and possibly that monster’s too. Pretend everything is fine. As far as they’re concerned, you don’t remember what happened tonight. Don’t draw attention.” She rolled over and closed her eyes, feeling the bed rise as Harry left for his own.

Harry was feeling very disoriented and Hogwarts felt dark lately. He hadn’t even known talking to snakes was evil, had thought maybe every other wizard could do it. But, here he was, being condemned by the entire school. 

A tap on his shoulder. “Harry, could I have a moment?”

“Yeah, sure.” Harry stepped away from Ron and Hermione slightly, feeling nervous at what she might say. It had been quite nearly a month since they’d last talked at all, and this was quite unexpected. 

Lydia glanced around the common room, then gave a small sigh. “I just wanted to let you know that not everyone thinks you’re evil, or Slytherin’s heir or whatever. It’s bullshit, really, what kids will believe. I’ve always been able to talk with birds, but I don’t look like a hummingbird, do I?” She took a deep breath and continued, “They’re too stupid to realize it, but you’re kinda lucky to speak with snakes. They’re probably super funny, aren’t they? Ooh, I bet you Slytherin has a bunch of books and stuff only you can read!”

Harry heard Hermione gasp in excitement from behind him, and couldn’t stop the smile. “I guess that’s pretty cool. Thanks, Lydia.”

Lydia shrugged, looking embarrassed. “It’s not right for people to make you feel evil, or like there’s something wrong with you. I know my word can’t mean much to you, but for what it’s worth, I don’t think you’re like Voldemort, or Slytherin or anything. You’re Harry Potter, a Gryffindor that so happens to hiss sometimes. So what?”

With that, she gave an awkward wave and left for her dorm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello loves! This is a long chapter (in comparison with the last few) but next week’s is action packed so get excited! Harry isn’t going to be very involved, so I’m not tagging him in the relationship tags, just an fyi. 
> 
> Next week: Lydia meets a worried Hufflepuff, and we get to see Professor Flitwick in action. 
> 
> Word count: 2229


	5. Pretty Boys, Presents, & Why Is There A Ravenclaw In Our Dorm?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Let's close the curtains and pretend we're somewhere else."  
> "Ooh, I love pretending!" 
> 
> \----------
> 
> Luna isn’t liked by Lydia’s dormmates, but Lydia won’t let that stop them from having a good time.  
> Also, Lydia learns to duel from her favorite professor.

Lydia was on her way up to the Ravenclaw dorms to meet Luna for a walk, holding Stoner in both arms, when she was suddenly shoved. Stoner fell to the floor, landing on his feet. Lydia was not so lucky. She had fallen sprawled on her back, and against the cement floor everything began to ache. 

Before she could even try to sit back up, an older boy had run over and was offering her his hand. Her first, embarrassing, thought was: _Pretty_. 

“Are you okay? Here, let me help you up.”

Pretty Boy pulled her gently to her feet and waited until she was steady then bent over and picked up Stoner, who had curled up on his side and was licking his paws. Pretty Boy held out the cat. 

“Thanks,” Lydia muttered, petting Stoner in apology. The cat licked her chin to show she was forgiven. 

“Don’t mention it. Are you hurt?”

She shook her wrist, and winced at the sharp pain. “I think I twisted my wrist, but otherwise I’m fine.”

He shifted on his feet, and took hold of her wrist to inspect it. “You’d better go to the infirmary just to be safe. But there’s no way you’re getting in with that cat. She yours?”

Stoners claws dig into Lydia's shoulder in agitation, so Lydia corrected, “ _He_ is, yeah. I was going to meet my friend over by her dorm so I’ll drop Stoner off with her and then go see Madam Pomfrey. Thanks again, um…”

“Cedric Diggory. What house is your friend in? I’ll walk you.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Jeez, you’re really intent on me getting to the infirmary, huh? She’s in Ravenclaw.”

He hit his lip. “That’s awfully far.”

Lydia let out a soft laugh. “Would it make you feel better if I went to the infirmary now and left Stoner with you? He seems to like you.”

In fact, Stoner was nuzzling Cedric’s hand. 

Cedric nodded, and patted Stoner’s head. 

So, they went. 

* * *

Christmas morning made Lydia laugh with joy at the breakfast table, something that confused her friends. 

The twins leaned closer to her from each side, and the three Chasers across from her raised expecting eyebrows. 

“My grandfather wrote me this letter. Listen. _Lydia, we received an anonymous donation of money just the other day. It’s more than enough for your surgery, and the various appointments that come with it. The donor told us to use any leftover for school supplies. I have no idea who sent it, but if you find out, thank them for us._ ”

When she set the letter down, the twins immediately hugged her, both beaming. 

Lee frowned. “I’m sorry, surgery? What for?”

Lydia snorts. “My deformed back.”

“Lydia!” Alicia kicked her shins lightly as a rebuke. 

Lydia didn’t care. “God, this must be a Christmas miracle! I don’t care what else happens today, this will make up for it.”

Her friends smiled fondly at her, and she shoveled oatmeal into her mouth to avoid their gazes. 

The day only got better. Professor Flitwick found her after lunch, and complimented her for several minutes on the charmed grape quartet she had gifted him, which then led to them talking charms for close to an hour. 

When she had visited Madam Pomfrey and told her of the anonymous donation, the woman had, in a rare display of affection, pulled her in for a hug. “Oh, that is wonderful, Lydia! I cannot wait to discuss treatment and recovery with you.”

The presents she received were the topping on the cake, really. She had been given another box full of gifts from the Weasleys, as well as a bird figure made entirely out of twigs from Harry. Luna had given her an odd gift, as with everything else she did: A small drawstring pouch of bones. Lydia had gleefully hung them on multicolored string from her bedpost, and the shrieks from her dorm mates only made her giggle. She had, of course, given Luna a charm necklace similar to George’s, but the corresponding charm on Lydia’s was a moon. 

Lydia was beginning to wonder if inviting Luna to have a sleepover in her dorm was a bad idea. She didn’t regret it, no; Luna deserved a break from the mean girls in her dorm, and Lydia enjoyed spending time with her. The only problem was Lydia's dorm mates. More specifically, Lavender and Hermione. Fay and Parvati didn’t really care all that much, but Lavender thought Luna’s oddities were infectious, and Hermione was sure inter-house sleepovers weren’t allowed. Despite the fact Lydia had gotten permission from both Professor McGonagall and Flitwick. 

“I’m going to get Professor McGonagall-”

“Do that, Hermione. But she’s going to say the same thing I’ve already told you! I asked for permission and it was granted.”

Luna bowed her head and whispered, “I can leave.”

Lydia turned to her younger friend and grabbed her hand. “If you don’t want to stay I’m not forcing you. But, don’t leave on account of them. I want to spend time with you. Do you want to spend time with me?”

“I do.”

Lydia nodded with a smile. “Good. Let’s close the curtains and pretend we’re somewhere else.”

“Ooh, I love pretending!” Luna gasped, and eagerly sat down on Lydia’s bed. 

Lydia shot a glare to her still uncertain dorm mates, then shut the curtains. 

She was determined to have a good night with her best friend, and her dorm mates would not be stopping her. 

* * *

The dueling club had been ridiculous. Lydia had been so excited for it, and Lockhart had gone and completely ruined it. It wasn’t completely the professor’s fault, she thought, he couldn’t help being an idiot. Even so, she was determined to learn to duel properly from someone. And Padma reminded her exactly who that person could be. 

(“It’s a shame Professor Flitwick wasn’t part of it. I mean, he's a famous duelist. I heard he once won a duel against four other people!”)

Lydia had gone to Professor Flitwick just before the winter break was over with, and asked if he could point her towards some books so she could teach herself how to duel. 

“I just really think I ought to learn, Professor. And between us, even if the dueling club hadn’t ended I doubt I’d have learned anything.”

He had scrutinized her for a few tense minutes, and just when she was about to fidget, had nodded. “I will do you better, Miss McBrien. I shall teach you myself, on Monday nights just before dinner. If you wish to have private lessons with me, come here at five o’clock next Monday. If you don’t, I will assume you don’t want the lessons, and that will be that. I won’t bring the subject up again.”

“Oh my god, of course I’ll take the lessons!”

“Ah, ah.” He said, wagging his finger. “I want you to think this through, Miss McBrien. It would be easier to wait for your Defense lessons to cover dueling. This will be difficult.”

She had nodded, and promised to think through it though she knew she’d be back Monday night. 

And back she had been. And again, and again. Week after week. 

Now, it was the end of January and Professor Flitwick was teaching her exploding spells. They were a little scary, but they would help immensely in a fight. She had mastered _Bombarda_ within the first half of the hour, and now she was working on _Depulso_. The task was to push away a dummy using the spell, and she was having a hard time. 

“Again, Lydia. Remember to really enunciate the _pull_. Imagine the dummy being thrown backwards by the spell. Pretend it’s a bomb.”

She closed her eyes, and tried to focus only on her magic. Her hair had fallen partly out of its plaits, so her cheeks felt like spiders were crawling on them. The sweat from her brow was making her eyes sting. The open window sent the smell of burning wood from Hagrid’s hut into her nose. 

Lydia opened her eyes, and shouted, “ _Bombarda!_ ” 

A red pulse of magic exploded from her wand so forcefully she flew backwards and onto the floor. 

Professor Flitwick was clapping though. “Lydia! Look at the dummy!”

She propped herself up and her elbows and tilted her neck, expecting to see the dummy still standing above her. It was on the floor, it’s head gone. “I...did it?”

Professor Flitwick nodded happily. “Yes, yes my dear!”

Lydia laughed delightedly. “I did it!”

It was as Professor Flitwick helped her from the floor that the door was opened and the twins came racing in. 

“Lydia, come on!”

“Yeah, we gave you your hour!”

She frowned. “What are you two talking about?”

“You told us at dinner that you had something to do.” George reminded. 

Fred added on, “And that if we didn’t give you at least an hour then we’d find your fingers inside our eye sockets.”

Lydia had the grace to look apologetic. “Uh, I wasn’t serious. I’m kinda in the middle of-”

“But we want to corrupt you _now_!” The boys whined in unison. 

Professor Flitwick smiled. “You’re going to corrupt young Miss McBrien?”

The twins nodded. “Yeah! We’ve got to before someone else does.”

Lydia rolled her eyes. “You think you can corrupt me? Cute. I’m gonna do it myself just to spite you.”

“You can’t corrupt yourself.”

She stared at both of them for a long moment. Then, “Watch me. There’s an entire library of spells and potions and history at my fingertips.”

She turned, thanked Professor Flitwick for his time, and left the office. She could hear the twins’ thudding footsteps as they ran after her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi loves! This was so fun to write, so I hope it’s fun to read. If you're interested, I posted a character ask on my Harry Potter related tumblr, and I'll be posting more nsca related things there very soon! I just cannot get this series out of my head, and one chapter a week isn't enough to satisfy my brain lol!  
> link:
> 
> https://wizardrywilting.tumblr.com/post/620305085935796225/a-character-ask-lydia-mcbrien
> 
> Next week: Lydia doesn’t have a very good time. (ooh ominous!)
> 
> Word count: 1622


	6. A Gloomy Valentines and A Bloody Nose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Lydia what exactly is this?” Percy demanded.  
> Lydia swiped her finger under her nose with a wince. “Blood, I’d wager. Unless I can produce jam through my nostrils… Want to taste and find out?”
> 
> \- - - - - - - - - -
> 
> Lydia learns what people really think about Muggleborns.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Neville’s POV for the first part, then it’ll switch back to Lydia’s for the rest. It should be clear when it switches, but if not just look for the line break!

Neville didn’t understand Valentine’s Day; He assumed it was one of those things you got with puberty, like acne and angst. He didn’t fancy anyone yet, but he was pretty sure Seamus did, so maybe that was another thing he couldn’t get right.

Even with his disinterest, he was excited to have the feast. Parvati had overheard Professor Lockhart had gotten a special dessert made, and he was eager for it. 

As Neville reached the common room and neared the portrait, he saw something - someone - out the corner of his eyes. Lydia McBrien was sitting in a corner armchair with a book in front of her. This wasn’t so unusual, but she usually looked happy when reading, right now she was sullen. They didn’t hang out much, since the twins never left her side and they were scary, but Neville refused to just let her mope while he had fun.

“Lydia, why aren’t you at the feast?”

She glanced at him, and shifted. “I don’t care for Valentine’s Day. Why aren’t you?”

“Same, I don’t like it either.” That was a lie, but he couldn’t just tell her _‘Oh, because you look about two minutes from crying and I’m a sympathy cryer.’_ Who says that?!

She narrowed her eyes as if she knew he was lying, and he gulped. Then she continued as if it hadn’t happened, “Do you celebrate it at home?”

“My gran likes to talk about my grandad and show me pictures of them. But not really besides that.”

“My dad used to buy me flowers, and he’d take me out to the yard to throw knives at targets.” Her frown changed to a sad smile. “But he doesn’t really talk to me anymore…”

Neville cocked his head in confusion, wondering if that was a roundabout way of saying her dad was dead, but she didn’t explain. He looked around the empty common room then whispered, “I wish people gave _me_ flowers. Do you wanna get some?”

“How?”

He grabbed her hand, and pulled her up. “Follow me.”

She set her book on a table as he pulled her from the room, and she hurried after him. 

After sneaking down several floors, he stopped and painted in front of the greenhouses. He showed her a small patch of moss just under a cluster of short trees. 

“Look, Professor Sprout replants flowers here every year. There’s poppies, and daisies, and chrysanthemums.”

Lydia bent down to touch a daisy. “They’re pretty.”

Neville pulled a small knife from his pocket. He carefully sliced a few and handed them to her. “There, one of each.”

She smiled, and separated the red poppy from its bundle. Carefully, she hooked it around his ear. “Red’s your color.”

He blushed.

“See? It looks good on you.” She giggled, then helped him to his feet. 

Neville’s stomach growled, and a second later Penny was in front of them with a plate of sandwiches and frosted biscuits. 

“You going to bes the death of Penny, yes yous is! Never eating on time, you aren’t!”

She dragged them into the castle by their shirt sleeves. 

* * *

Lydia was walking back to Gryffindor Tower after a study group session when she was shoved to the ground from behind. Her books and parchment went flying, and a little bit of the spilled ink landing on her face and smearing against her lenses.

She turned to her back with a groan, and peered up at an older girl sneering down at her. The girl pulled Lydia to her feet by her tie, and met her nose with a fist.

Lydia kicked back, and the girl shot some kind of spell at her. “Mudbloods always look so dirty. Have some class and clean your face!”

Then, she walked off.

Lydia’s mind was whirling from the short lived attack, and she slowly brought her back to the floor where her things were. As she picked them up, she hoped Professor McGonagall wouldn’t mind the blood smudged across where the date was written, 19th March.

“What on earth was that about?” She whispered, “I don’t even have any clue who she was.”

When she reached the Fat Lady’s portrait, the painting stopped her conversation with Violet, and exclaimed, “What happened to you?! Not another fight, I hope!”

“I didn’t fight if that’s what you’re prying for, Ma’am. The girl attacked me.”

Violet shook her head. “Goodness, children are so violent.”

“Didn’t you use swords when you were a child?”

“Well I-”

Lydia ignored Violet’s spluttering, and told the Fat Lady, “Troubadour, please.”

The portrait swung open, and Lydia nearly sighed as she saw Percy directly in her path. She did not want a mothering right now, so she would have to be sneaky.

It wasn’t to be. She had made it halfway across the room, sticking close to the wall, when a little first year - Breanna she thought her name was - shrieked and pointed at Lydia's face. 

Fred, bless him, immediately went to yell at the girl, probably thinking she was another person pointing out Lydia’s scar. 

Percy and George noticed her immediately, and made a beeline for her. Fred followed almost immediately after.

“Lydia what exactly is this?” Percy demanded. 

Lydia swiped her finger under her nose with a wince. “Blood, I’d wager. Unless I can produce jam through my nostrils… Want to taste and find out?”

The twins laughed, but Percy put a hand on his hip. “No, I would _not_. Why are you bleeding? I thought you promised not to start with Malfoy again-”

“I didn’t, jeez! Some older girl roughed me up.” 

Percy shook his head and muttered under his breath. Then, he took a handkerchief from around his belt loop and started wiping her face. 

It’s when he’s nearly done that she suddenly remembers: “Say, what’s a Mudblood?”

The Weasleys all look to her in alarm, and Fred demands, “Who told you that word?”

“What, is it like a wizard swear?”

George shook his head. “It’s more like a slur. It’s a... _really_ bad thing to call someone. Like, the worst thing.”

Percy had paused his cleaning completely and was staring at her with a pinched brow. “Lydia, you know how people look at Muggleborns, don’t you?”

“I mean, Malfoy and his like are jerks, but what’s that have to do with this whole Mudblood thing?”

All three shifted uncomfortably. 

“Stop saying it.”

Lydia frowned at Fred. “Why? They called me it, I don’t understand.”

Percy brought her to the floor so they were all sitting. “You know about the war?”

“Yeah, kinda.”

“The war was started by You-Know-Who because he didn’t like people like you. People who...who came from non-magical parents.”

“Why?”

“No one with any real brains knows, honestly. But some pure bloods still have that ideology. And that _word_ is saying your blood is dirty.”

“Oh.” Lydia wasn’t sure how she felt. Her chest felt kind of like something cold was sitting on it. “So that girl attacked me because she thinks my blood is bad.”

They nodded. 

After a few uncomfortable seconds of silence, Percy went back to cleaning her face. 

Fred gently touched one of her plaits. “Lydia, this came out. Can I redo it for you?”

She nodded, too preoccupied with her thoughts to worry. 

She came back to earth when Fred tapped her shoulder. “Hand me that ribbon.”

George held a red and gold ribbon out to her. She handed it to Fred, giving him a smile for what he was doing. She knew he could have taken it from George himself, but he had wanted to bring Lydia out of her head. 

With her glasses off, she could see the warm magic Fred was putting into the ribbon. 

“How are you doing that?”

“Hm, doing what?”

“You’re like, pushing your magic into the ribbon.”

He blinked at her. “Oh, I’m just willing the ribbon to stay. Does it really look like that?”

She nodded. “Yeah. Your magic is green. Like a cat’s eyes.”

His nose wrinkled. 

* * *

Lydia had been a bit wary walking in the halls alone after being attacked by the Slytherin girl, but she had never let fear stop her before, so here she was walking to her next duelling lesson with Professor Flitwick.

“Oh, good, you’re not hurt still.”

She whipped around to see a slightly shorter boy watching her. He, too, looked nervous to be around her. 

“Who are you?”

He stuck his hand out then thought better of it and let it hang by his side. “Rhys, Rhys Bailey. My older sister is the one who attacked you the other day.”

She snorted. “here to finish what she couldn’t?”

“Alright, that’s deserved. I wanted to apologize on her behalf.”

“You...did?”

He tugged on his green tie anxiously. “It’s not her fault she’s stupid. My dad’s the same way. Just… I’m sorry she hurt you.”

Lydia frowned, then nodded. “Apology accepted, I guess.”

She stuck her own hand out, and he stared at it. “This means you shake my hand and we become friends,” she whispered.

Rolling his eyes, Rhys shook. “You want to be friends with the bloke whose sister beat you to a pulp?”

“She didn’t beat me to a pulp. She beat me to a leaking jam biscuit.”

He stared at her in disgust, then laughed. “Okay fine, friends. But only bcause I need to stick around to see what other stupid things you say.”

She grinned, then dropped his hand. “See you later, Bailey.”

“Yeah, see you, Mickey.”

She stuck her tongue out at him, then left for Professor Flitwick’s office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my loves! It feels weird to still be writing while current events are happening, but below is a link to the petition for Darren Rainey, please sign. 
> 
> https://www.change.org/p/united-states-supreme-court-demand-justice-for-darren-rainey
> 
> Next week: Angst, baby!!!  
> Word count: 1609


	7. The Stone Is So Cold (It Hurts To Touch)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Boop.”  
> “Boop?!”  
> “Sad boop for sad boy.”  
> Percy fainted.  
> “I don’t think that was supposed to happen.”  
> “No, no I don’t think it was.”
> 
> \- - - - - - - - - - 
> 
> Luna thinks the Weasley boys are kind of odd, but they sure are better than the bullies she rooms with. Percy is dramatic, however.

Lydia was reasonably worried about walking through the castle with the so-called monster still around. She wishes she could say she wasn’t scared but… Sue her, she didn’t want to die! But she had heard from Professor Flitwick that the staff would soon be implementing new rules to keep everyone together and she really needed to soak up some alone time while she could. As she walked, she played with the box that held Fred’s birthday gift, which she would be giving him in just three days. It had taken her a long time to find it, but she had just finished it that week, and Luna had helped her paint the box with red and glitter. She was nearly to her favorite alcove when she saw it.

_ It _ was huge and slimy and looked like something out of a horror movie. Its eyes were a sickening yellow, and the sharp wet scales shone a dark green. In the few seconds she could move, she stuffed the boxed gift for the twins in her pocket, not wanting anyone to take it. She fell backwards, left to lie on the cold stone until Madam Pince left the library for the loo and spotted her, then ran into the Charms classroom for help. Lydia would be picked up by two staff members and carried down to the infirmary, where Madam Pomfrey would tell them how happy she was that the poor girl had been having migraines because the spectacles had blocked the monster’s gaze. The woman would silently thank her lucky stars anytime she went to care for the girl best she could. Percy, when he was told, would yell in the common room, “They old me being a Prefect would be  _ fun!  _ Well guess what, Mum’s going to kill me for losing her second daughter! I’m practically dead! Just stab me and save me the pain, Ginny.” (Ginny would refuse, and Percy would notice she looked ill. He would send her to get a Pepper-Up potion.) Fred and George will barely leave her bedside, and only go to a few of their lessons, not even noticing the professors were more lenient than usual. Neville will leave daisies underneath her open hand, lying across her stomach. Padma, Terry, and Heidi will come and read her school books to her. Luna will whisper about how the Nargles were taking her shoes more often lately, and that the girls in her dorm had torn her uniform to shreds one night without Lydia to yell at them for it. Lydia’s grandfather and mother would be written a letter, and the former would read Lydia’ favorite books over and over, unable to accept that his granddaughter couldn’t read them herself. Her mother would pick up extra shifts at her job, until she grew weak and barely made it inside the flat before falling asleep at night. 

Lydia would never know any of this.

* * *

Luna greatly missed her best friend. Lydia had been her best friend, and the months with her had been the greatest since Luna’s first friend, her mum, had been alive. Then, Lydia had gone and been petrified. Now, Luna didn’t know what was doing the petrifying, nor did she know how to stop it. What she  _ did  _ know however, was that it was a very mean thing, whatever it was. Perhaps she shouldn’t call it an  _ it _ . That was rather rude…

Where was she? Right. Luna missed Lydia so very much. Cedric Diggory had been trying very hard to check on her when he could, but even being a Prefect didn’t let him out on his own with the new rules. Fred and George Weasley were trying just as hard - if not more - to keep bullies away from Luna. Once, when Pansy Parkinson had been pulling on Luna’s hair and shrieking about its frizz, the twins had splattered her face with paint. It wasn’t very funny, but Pansy had left Luna alone for a few days. The trouble is, they weren’t allowed in the dorm, and that’s where the worst of the bullies lived. 

Speaking - or rather, thinking - of the twins, they were sad. It was hard to watch how the twins seemed to become less themselves the longer Lydia wasn’t around. Luna knew the two had functioned well without Lydia until meeting her last year, but suddenly they were wilting like flowers without the rain. Perhaps the three were flowers, Lydia was their water and they, the sun? Is that why they wilted without her there? Luna isn’t sure, but she thinks it possible. 

Luna was very good at sneaking. So good, that she was able to sneak into the Gryffindor boys’ dorm. Lee hadn’t minded, and neither had the twins, so Luna sat with them sometimes. It was a unanimous decision not to tell Percy. 

Anyway, this meant Luna was with the three when Percy had barged into the dorm and screamed at the two that their sister was missing. 

“Ginny?”

“Where?”

“That’s the trouble, isn’t it!” Percy yelled, “Nobody knows! I swear I might just give up this badge! The staff expect me to help them when they can’t even keep children safe? Two sisters, two bloody sisters are gone! Mum is going to kill me! Just do it, spare me the pain!”

Lee made a concerned noise from his bed. 

“You’ve already said that phrase, Percy. Be more creative.” One of the twins mumbled it, and no one seemed to acknowledge him. 

Luna reaches out with her finger, currently still covered in wet acrylic paint, and poked Percy’s cheek. “Boop.”

Percy turned very slowly to face her. She thinks it might be for dramatic effect. Percy was like that.

“ _ Boop?! _ ”

“Sad boop for bad boy.”

Percy fainted. 

Luna pokes him with her foot. “I don’t think that was supposed to happen.”

Lee walked round his bed to stand next to her. “No, no I don’t think it was.”

Luna had a ticklish feeling spread across her neck and face, like when the voice told her cryptic things. When it told her Lydia would be okay, and that Lydia’s father was hiding a sunling. Or when it told her that Ginny was not okay, but she would be saved soon. That told her a snake had something to do with all this. The voice told Luna she should sleep, so she curled up in Lee’s lap and gave in. 

“What the bloody hell just happened?”

Fred looked up at Lee, then to Luna, then to Percy. “No clue, mate. She didn’t really faint like Percy, did she?”

“Nah,” George murmured, feeling Luna’s neck pulse. “She just curled up and went to sleep like a cat.”

“How’s Perce’s pulse, Georgie?”

George returned his fingers to where they had been resting on his older brother’s wrist. “He’s good. The bloke’s brain probably short circuited. I reckon he’s been due for a breakdown for a while.”

Lee hummed in agreement and ran his fingers through Luna’s messy hair. There were a few colorful beads tied in it, and he fiddled with them. “Do you think the petrified students will be up soon?”

They all knew he was asking about one petrified student in particular. 

The twins sighed. 

“They better.”

“Yeah, I’m not getting on the train before hugging Lydia again.”

Lee watched his two best friends look around the dorm in search of something to do, and decided to distract them. “Hey, we should plan a going away prank. I’m sure Lydia’ll love to see it when she wakes up.”

He purposely chose his words to make it sound like she had just gone to bed for the night. 

The twins brightened immediately. 

“Yes!”

“Let’s get started, boys.”

“Okay, so what about putting potion-”

“-that changed everyone’s voices?”

“No… What about their appearance?”

“That’s hard. Oh, I’ve got it! We should put potion in everyone’s food that turns their skin to Lydia's favorite color -”

“Red, of course!”

“-and then it’ll make… hm, what should come out when they try to talk?”

The twins made eye contact and beamed. Then they said at once, “BIRD NOISES!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loves!! We have one more chapter and this year is done! Next year’s hits home for me, which means I'll probably explain stuff in the end notes more. So if you like that, yay!  
> Please, please sign the below link for Breonna Taylor! The last I checked, we were very very close to the goal:  
> http://chng.it/7VbKNShmvD
> 
> Word count: 1352 (What do y’all think about the chapter size? Let me know) 
> 
> Next week: Luna provides a cryptic warning of sorts, about an annoying sunling.


	8. The Sunling Is Annoying

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “He’s preoccupied with the sunling.”  
>  “Is that like a Nargle?”  
>  “No, Sunling isn’t nearly as dangerous as a Nargle. They’re very annoying, though.”
> 
> \- - - - - - - - - -
> 
> Things go back to normal. As normal as Hogwarts can be, that is.

When Lydia wakes, she feels tired. Very tired. She isn’t wearing her glasses, so she has to squint around the migraine already building. By the shelves and various beds around her, she knows she’s in the infirmary. To her left, Colin is rubbing at his eyes sleepily, to her right sits Ginny. The younger girl has blood splattered on her robes and face, and she’s terribly pale. Percy is there, hugging her and whispering something. 

“Percy?” 

The prefect’s eyes snap to Lydia’s, and he looks her over. Then, he climbs over Ginny’s bed and to Lydia’s. 

“Oh thank Morgana!” He shrieks, hugging her tight. Lydia pats his back awkwardly. “Don’t ever do that to me again!”

She grins against the itchy fabric of his school robes. “I can promise you that I will never willingly look into a huge snake’s eyes again, Percy.”

He pulls back, and his ears are flushed pink. “Right. Well, I’ll get Madam Pomfrey.”

He turns and walks, near sprints, away. Lydia quietly climbs onto Ginny’s bed. “Ginny?”

The girl looks at her and bursts into sobs. Lydia instinctually holds her. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“It’s - all my fau-fault!”

“Don’t be stupid. I saw a  _ snake  _ not a Ginny.”

Ginny looks up at her. “B-but I kept the diary! And I tried to say some-something but-”

Lydia is very confused, but she knows asking all the questions in her head won’t help, so she simply says, “Look, whatever happened wasn’t your fault and if anyone says otherwise let me know and I’ll turn their feet into...fins. Yeah, gross and slimy fish fins.”

Ginny giggles, even though she’s still crying. 

“How would they walk?”

“Hm, I guess they’d have to drag themselves on the floor with their arms.”

Ginny leans against Lydia’s side. “What are you doing this summer?”

“I don’t know. Hopefully I’ll stay in the country, maybe go to Luna’s house, or yours. What about you?”

“I want to just go to bed and never come out of my room.”

“That’s a bit depressing.”

Ginny sniffles. “I couldn’t hurt anybody else that way.”

“Gin, no one is seriously hurt. We lost a few months, but we’re good now. Isn’t that right, Colin?”

Colin nodded from his bed. He crawled atop the bed they were on. “Yeah! Just feels like I woke up from a long nap. You know the ones where you wake up just at dinner? And you’ve got all those creases on your arms because you slept so good?”

Ginny nods. 

“It’s like that.”

Ginny bites her lip. “Are you two not mad? I caused such a mess! I bet mum and dad hate me.”

“That’s  _ really _ stupid.” 

“Lydia!” Colin gapsed, “Don’t be mean.”

Lydia gave a roll of her eyes. “Look, I met Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. And from what I’ve seen, they couldn't hate you. Couldn’t hate any of your family. Remember how upset your mum was when Harry and Ron took the car?”

Ginny grinned. “Her howler was so loud.”

“Yeah. But she still sent him Christmas and Easter gifts. She still loves him.”

“That was a car. I could have killed everyone! If it weren’t for the mandrakes…”

“Come on, Ginny!” Colin sighed, “I’m not mad, and Lydia isn’t, and I reckon if your dad’s anything like  _ mine,  _ he’ll just be happy you’re okay.”

Ginny still looked uncertain, but she smiled when Colin started telling the story of how he accidentally ended up in Wales instead of England when he stepped on the wrong plane with a man that looked like his uncle. 

“The funniest part?  _ I don’t even have an uncle! _ ”

* * *

Lydia very nearly missed breakfast, because Madam Ponfrey hadn’t wanted to let the petrified students leave just yet, but the Headmaster managed to convince her they couldn’t keep them from the feast. 

When Lydia, along with Colin and Ginny and the other petrified students, walked into the Great Hall it became silent. 

Then, various students started cheering and crying. Neville and Luna came running, and hugged both Lydia and Colin right. Neville even swung Lydia around in a hug. Then, still attached to her friends, Lydia felt four pairs of hands around her. 

“Fred, George!” Lydia cried, “Twin sandwich!”

They laughed, hugging her tighter. 

She swore under her breath, and fished the two boxes from her robe pocket. 

Letting her friends lead the way to their usual spot by the Quidditch team, Lydia slammed the boxes down in front of each twin. “Open.”

“What-”

“For?”

“Your birthday presents, duh. Open, open, open-”

Lee rested a hand over her mouth. “Just open them already!”

Both tore the thin parchment wrapping the boxes off, and Fred took his present out first. The golden colored chain caught the light, and it gleamed. Alicia reached over to touch the red and gold striped ribbon charm. “This is so pretty, where did you buy it?”

“An old shop down the street from my flat. It cost less than a pound.” She looked to Fred. “So, you like it?”

“Duh! Is it like George’s?”

She hummed. “Yeah, you can call me whenever… As long as I’m not in class.”

He turned his back to hers and she clasped the ends together. 

“Lydia, this looks expensive!” George hisses at her, holding the plastic ring with red and gold gems. 

“Don’t worry about it, I got us matching ones so really it’s a gift for me too.”

He looked ready to argue, but Fred’s charm interrupted by suddenly warming and he looked at it in confusion. “Uh.”

Lydia reached for his hand and showed him how to rest his thumb on it. Then she whispered, “Say hello.”

“Hello?”

“Give me all your pudding or I’ll infest your clothes with Nargles!” 

“ _ Luna _ ?”

There was a pause, and then she said, “No, I’ll wait until you do something to deserve that. Goodbye!”

Fred gave a shiver. “Your little friend’s scary.”

“Come on, don’t be silly,” Lee told him, “She’s our friend now.”

* * *

“Have you heard from your dad, Lydia?”

Lydia sighed, crossing her ankles so she was more comfortable in the cramped train compartment. She, Luna, Neville, Colin, and Ginny were all stuffed into one compartment with most of the Quidditch team, so it was crowded. “No, he never talks to me anymore. Not that i’m surprised at this point.”

Katie combed a hand through her hair gently. “Oh, don’t worry about it dear. You’ll hear from him soon, I’m sure.”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t he talk to you?” Angelina asked. “You’re adorable.”

Lydia scrunched you her nose in embarrassment, but didn’t comment. 

Luna said offhandedly, “He’s preoccupied with the sunling.”

“Is that like a Nargle?”

Luna shook her head at Lydia. “No, Sunling isn’t nearly as dangerous as a Nargle. They’re very annoying, though.”

In the awkward silence that followed, George was the one to break it. 

“Lydia, compliment Forge and I again about the  _ marvelous  _ prank this morning!”

She laughed. “I think the screeching was a bit much, but it was really funny. Especially when Lavender started complaining about how much moisturizer her beak would need. Overall, eight out of ten.”

“I can’t believe you actually got beaks to replace everyone’s mouths.” Angelina rolled her eyes, still annoyed the purple was staining her eyebrows. 

And as the train continued to chug on, Lydia silently congratulated herself on staying - mostly - under the radar for another year. But how long until her growing group of friends pulled her above it? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loves! I’m very excited to finish this part of the series up! I haven’t been a fan of the past two chapters, and I think they should’ve been made one, but oh well. Let me know what you think, and look forward to the next installment!!
> 
> Link to sign for Ejaz Choudry: http://chng.it/XHLyRCfGq6
> 
> Next Week: We catch up with the McBrien household, where Ginny gets quite the surprise. 
> 
> words: 1154

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so this is a day late but I blame that on quarantine! Time is a concept I cannot grasp right now. Anyway, I hope you lovelies are as excited for the next part of this series as I am! Please comment if you like something, if you wanna guess what's coming, anything you like. (But please be nice!)  
> Next week: We'll be back at Hogwarts, and Lydia has something to confess...
> 
> Word Count: 3131 (Ooh, I really outdid myself!)


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